US House of Representatives passes bill to crack down on university boycotts of Israel
The US House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday to block federal aid for universities that boycott Israel, the latest Republican-backed pro-Israel measure amid growing Democratic criticism of the Israeli government over the assault in Gaza. The Republican-majority chamber voted 237-169 in favour of the “Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act”, which would have to pass the Senate in order to become law. The Israeli onslaught in Gaza has devastated much of the Palestinian enclave since October 2023. Israeli attacks since then have killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The conflict sparked protests and calls for boycotts at many US campuses. In response, President Donald Trump targeted colleges and universities with probes and federal funding suspension threats. The administration and many Republicans in Congress allege that the protesters were anti-Semitic and supported extremism. Protesters deny this, saying advocacy for Palestinian rights and objections to the devastation in Gaza should not be equated with antisemitism or support for extremism. Thursday’s House vote was mostly along party lines, with just two Republ
